Brake-handle.



Patented May 7, 1912.

lEn/I..

WITNESSES @mh dem @um i form -oit my invention, the handle. being shownin full lines 'in its normal position To all 'whom t may concern:

it being premised, however, that various FRANK R. PHILLUPS,OF..PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

BMKE-HNDLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Fatentedliiay "t, MM2..

Application led March 30, 1911. Serial No. 615,012.

Be it known that l, FRANK R. PHiLLiPs, a residentof Pittsburgh, in thecounty of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new anduseful improvement in Brake-Handles, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description, reference being had tc' the accompanyingdrawings, forming part of this specification, in Whichy Figure 1 is aside elevation, showing one and a portion thereof in dotted lines in itsoperative position; Fig. 2 is a section on the ,line ii-llll of Fig. l,with the handle in' its operative position;v Fig." 3 is a verticalsection on the line lll-lll of Fig. 2; F ig. i is a sectional viewshowingA a modified form of the brake rod ratchet; Fig. 5 is a sidevievv of the same; and Fig. 6 is a View similar'to Figi. 2, but shop/inga modification.l

My invention has relation to breite rod handles or levers of the droptype, and is designed to provide a handle of this type which isoperatively connected with the actuatingpaivl in such a manner that assoon as the handle is'released by the hand ot the operator, it Willimmediately tall by grav. ity to its vertical position, and in sodoing'. will throw the pavvl out of engagement with the ratchet on thebrake rod. or stad and will immediately release the brakes.

The nature of my inventiionwill be best understood by reference to theaccompanying drawings, which Will now be described,

changes can be made in the details ot construction and arrangement of'the parts, Without departing from the spirit and scope of my inventionas delined in the appended claims.

ln these drawings, the numeral 2 designates the upper ortion of theusual brake rod or staff. Atits upper end, it is provided with the usualratchet 3, Whose teeth may be either cut integral in the metal thereof,or may be formed on a's'eparate sleeve 5, rigidly secured to the upperportion 'ot the rod or stati' proper.

6 is a casing member'which surrounds the ratchet portion of the brakerod or staii" and which is provided with the projecting plates or ears7, in which is mounted the pin or shaft 8, for the drop handle 9.

10 designates a pavvl lever and paWl which is pivoted in a casing member6, and having its pavvl end arranged to be forced into engagement withthe teeth ol the ratehet by means of a spring ll. The other arm of thepavvl lever extends into position to be engaged by a cam member l2,Which 1s secured to the ,handle and is arranged to turn with the handleon the pin 8. ri`his cam. member has the cam surface i3 for engagementwith the arm of the pavvl lever.

llfhen the handle 9 is raised to horizontal position.,l the cam surfacei3 is Without eitect upon the pavvl lever and the spring l1 forces saidlever into engagement with one ot' the ratchet teeth, as ,shown in Fig.2. rThe handle can then be operated in the usual. manner to s et thebrakes, the casing mem-` ber 6 having a. rotary movement upon,- theupper end portion of the braire rod or stad. As soon as the handle isreleasedby the hand, the cam surface 13 ot the cam member; will engagethe arm of the pavvl lever "and force it out oi engagement with theratchet tooth, thus givlng immediate release to the brake. y

lin the form shown in Fig. 6, the construen tion and arrangement issubstantially the same as in the other figures, except that in stead otthe spring il bearing against the pavvl end of the pawl lever, theopposite arm y of the lever is provided with a spring lla.'

My invention embodies all the advantages of evisting brake handles ofthe drop type with the further advantage of eii'ecting the release ofthe brake by gravity action of the handle, as soon as it is released bythe hand. The entire construction is a very simple and inexpensive oneand is tory in its operation.

While my invention has been more especially designed asa handle forbrake rods, it Will be readily understood that it is clearly adaptableto other purposes which employ a ratchet 'and paivl device operated by ahandlelever.

l claim:

1. The combination having ratchet teeth, a pavvl lever, a spring forforcing the pavvl lever into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet,and a drop brake handle having a cam portion adapted to engage the paWllever and free the engagement of the pavvl from the ratchet when thehandle drops by gravity, substantially as de scribed.

2. 'lhe combination with a brake rod or extremely satistacwith a rod orstaf Staff carrying a ratchet, a housilfg for the forcing the pawl awayfrom the ratchet; 1J ratchet, a pawl member journaled in thesubstantially as described.

hu'xng, a spring seated in the housing and Inmtestmorny whereof, I havehereunto set pressing the pawl into engagement with the my hand. y

teeth of the 'ratchety and a pivoted operating llever' pivoted to` movevertically'and to move FRANK R' PHILLH S' 'from one positk'm to anotherby gravity l Witnesses:

when release'i the hand, and means op- JOSEPH P. LAmuN, eratedbysuch`movement of the lever for J. N. SMITH.

Copies o! this patent may be obtained.` for five cents each. byaddressing the Commissioner of Iatents,

Washington. D. C.

